Reviewer:
DeadMediaArchive
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November 21, 2014
Subject:
Pomyslowy Dobromir (Ingeniuous Dobromir)
This Polish series of animated shorts aimed at children aired on tv, and though little known in the West, has remained a staple of its pop culture. Director Roman Huszczo - who studied at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts - worked at the fabled Se-Ma-For, and this was produced at the Warsaw Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Jan Lenica, Witold Giersz, Piotr Dumala and Miroslaw Kijowicz all worked there, to name but a few). Dozens of animators were credited on the series.
Dobromir is a young boy of exceptional ingenuity, wedding Art and Science to craft innovative solutions to everyday problems that crop up in his daily life in a rural village in Poland. His loving Grandfather's skepticism goads his creativity, as does the enthusiasm of a ubiquitous bird.
Charming, imaginative and funny, this is a wonderful series.
In the Eastern Bloc in the wake of Sputnik, there obtained a faith in rationalism, oft-depicted in patriarchal relationships. Dobromir is a cultural heir of Operaator Kops and a predecessor to Pat and Mat.
A follow-up series - Pomysłowy Wnuczek aka Pomysłowego Dobromira (Ingenious Granddaughter) ran for 10 episodes from 1984-1988.
The episodes are (original title; Britannica title: near-literal translations):
Pracowity nosiwoda (Diligent Water Carrier) (1973)
Mechaniczna igła (Mechanical Needle)(1973)
Kolorowy promyk (Colorful Ray) (1974)
Turbina (Turbine) (1975)
Miodobranie (Honey Harvest) (1975)
Muzyczne popołudnie (Afternoon with Music) (1974)
Budowa domu (Construction of the House) (1975)
Szczekający talerz (Barking Plate) (1973)
Sposoby na ciężary (Lifting Weight) (1974)
Uniwersalny pojazd (Universal Vehicle) (1974)
Pomidory (Tomatoes) (1974)
Pożyteczne śmigło (Useful Propeller) (1975)
Żywy obrazek (Tableau Vivant) (1973)
Mechaniczne zamki (Automatic Locks) (1975)
Zimowy ogród (Winter Garden) (1975)
Budzik (Alarm Clock) (1974)
Żniwa (Harvest) (1975)
Drukowane kwiaty (Printed Flowers) (1974)
Wodociąg (Aqueduct) (1974)
Skrzydlate marzenia (Flying Dreams) (1974)
Silent with a great music track (no doubt making it attractive to Encyclopaedia Britannica who picked it up for distribution, requiring no changes outside of the title cards) excepting Dobromir's whistling of the theme, the starling's whistles of admiration at Dobromir's ingenuity and Dobromir's exclamation "Juhu" ("Eureka!") when finally arriving at the solution.
Dobromir was later also spokesperson for a colorful GE ad campaign in his home country.
Thanks to the awesome digitization and archival work of the Academic Film Archive of North Archive!
Seeing this episode here, I was able to quickly ascertain the details on the entire series. The English-titled Britannica versions still sit on many library shelves collecting dust, in both 16mm and VHS format.